


Tired Eyes

by TheSadisticMunchkin



Series: 30 Days of Hamburr Challenge [21]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: 30 Days of Hamburr, 30 Days of Writing, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Baristas, Coffee, Coffee Shops, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Sleep Deprivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-02 14:12:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6569368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSadisticMunchkin/pseuds/TheSadisticMunchkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With another small glance at Alexander’s name written in his own marker pen, he took the same pen out of his front pocket and wrote something down. He finished the small statement with a smiley face that Aaron found himself smiling back. He didn’t know how to get Alexander out of his funk, but Aaron knew how to brighten up someone’s day. Aaron was a barista, they could write anything on your coffee cup.</p><p>(The coffee shop AU that no one needed)</p><p>Day 21 of the 30 Days of Hamburr Self-Induced Challenge of 2016</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tired Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> It's another coffee shop AU and it has college students and gay baristas.
> 
> It's the best thing ever.
> 
> Dedication of the day goes to syugaflake aka Krista u loser <3

After 2 years as a barista, one would have to get used to what the veterans call  _ the regulars.  _ If there were anything that would brighten anyone’s day it would be a familiar face and a familiar coffee order. There would be an exchange of smiles, not even an exchange of words, and the transaction would be made at any time. Aaron had his own round of regulars, especially since he worked the late night shift and the afternoon shift.

 

There was the weird French artist/baker/underground lead singer of a band who came in at exactly 2am every day. He would also change his name every single time he got his order of a tall French Vanilla with extra cinnamon on the side. Each time he did that, he claimed that it was his real name. So either Lafayette - he settled to call him that after their 4 th meeting - was being a dick or he just had a long ass name. Aaron didn’t want to think about it.

 

There was also the revolutionary duo, Laurens, and Mulligan. They had late night rallies every week and the coffee shop was the only place for them to unwind. If they even unwounded, that is. Aaron never saw those two be quiet in their quest to abolish certain laws. Most of the time, Aaron actually agreed to them but it was best not to get into what they were doing. Aaron actually liked his job. He would like to  _ keep  _ it too.

 

Then there were his fellow barista Angelica’s two little sisters, Peggy and Eliza. They were both still in college and, since the coffee shop was only walking distance away from their dorms; they would do their assignments here. More than once, he had to stop Eliza from ordering the Venti Mochaccino because he  _ knew  _ how batshit crazy she got with that much coffee in her system. It wasn’t pretty when he made the mistake of giving her that during midterms.

 

She almost burned the front door. The front door was made of  _ glass.  _ She wasn’t even remotely  _ close  _ to fire.

 

Last but definitely not the least, there was Alexander Hamilton. Alexander was a Political Science and Women’s Gender and Sexuality double major at King’s college, the same college that Eliza and Peggy went to. He would usually come in with Eliza, especially when they were dating, but lately, he didn’t see his arm around her and instead they were just politely talking to each other.

 

Angelica said they broke up but remained great friends.

 

However, Alexander wasn’t coming in during his afternoon shift anymore. Oh no, he was coming in at midnight every day. His hair would be disheveled, his hoodie stained with unknown liquids, and his eyes close to melting out of the sockets. Needless to say, Alexander looked like a fucking train wreck for the past two weeks. At first, Aaron thought none of it. Eliza was almost exactly the same during midterms.

 

But when midterms passed and the next semester rolled in, Alexander looked even  _ worse. _

 

This time, he wasn’t sure if Alexander  _ owned  _ any other hoodie but the King’s College pullover he seemed to favor this time around. Aaron used to just tease him about not getting enough sleep but for the past few days, he had to physically manhandle Alexander into his car and drive him back to his dorms. He made sure Peggy was waiting outside to pick him up every single time.

 

Aaron had to  _ do  _ something about this. He wasn’t sure what would get Alexander to try and not drink so much coffee and actually get enough sleep but he was going to at least try. He wasn’t going to outright tell him that he was not going to make him anymore coffee, that would be against company policy and he fucking liked his job. So he resorted the thing he was best at.

 

He made Alexander decaf coffee every time he would come up to the counter to order after the first time. One cup of coffee was enough to last him enough hours to finish what he needed to finish. The poor college student didn’t need another bout of caffeine in his system. If he had 3 cups of coffee per night, he’ll one day see Alexander collapse on to the newly mopped floor and never wake up again.

 

Well, that was an exaggeration but it kept Aaron going.

 

“Another round of Joe, my man.” Alexander practically  _ slurred  _ at him like a drunken person at a bar. Aaron winced a little at how the student was fighting his head from lying down on the counter. At this rate, Aaron would have provided him a blanket if he ended up tuckered out. “You know how I like it, sir.” He slurred again and Aaron reluctantly took the money out of his shaking hands before he went and made Alexander’s usual order.

 

Aaron could only make so much decaf.

 

With a resigned sigh, he went and pulled out another new bag of decaf coffee beans and started making Alexander’s drink. Once he was finished, he sadly looked at the carefully scribbled name on the side and wondered what else he could do to help this kid. He knew what college was like and he knew King’s college in particular was  _ brutal  _ to double majors. Every time Alexander came in, he had a million things stuffed in his bag that he hasn’t done.

 

Aaron just wanted him to take care of himself. Sometimes, mental and physical health was more important than passing a standardized test. Alexander never seemed to get that concept. All he did was write like he was running out of time. He never saw him have fun except when he was briefly dating Eliza. That was when the light was still in his eyes. Now the only light in his eyes was slowly burning him from the inside out.

 

It  _ killed  _ Aaron to see Alexander do this to himself.

 

From what he saw when he was dating Eliza, he was a good kid. In fact, he was a hopeless romantic and even a gentleman. During the rare times Eliza would walk in during the late night shift, she would gush about Alexander’s old-school love letters to her. Aaron didn’t want Alexander to lose himself in his work after all he’s been through. He wasn’t even sure what got the student to work like this. It definitely wasn’t Eliza since they still talked.

 

With another small glance at Alexander’s name written in his own marker pen, he took the same pen out of his front pocket and wrote something down. He finished the small statement with a smiley face that Aaron found himself smiling back. He didn’t know how to get Alexander out of his funk, but Aaron knew how to brighten up someone’s day. Aaron was a barista, they could write  _ anything  _ on your coffee cup.

 

This time Aaron wrote:

 

**_Lack of sleep means lack of energy to smile and losing_ ** **_your smile_ ** **_would be tragic. :)_ **

* * *

 

Each day that Alexander would come back late at night, Aaron wrote another similar line on his cup. It would usually be a small scientific fact that would end up as a compliment. He would alternate between writing a heart or a smiley face every day. Sometimes he used both if he was in a good mood. Each time Alexander got his coffee, he would read the new line first and give Aaron a smile.

 

It was progress.

 

But Alexander still came to the coffee shop too late for his liking. Aaron actually started suspecting that all he had in his stomach was coffee and a few salted crackers. Aaron would be lucky to provide him with a sandwich from their selections every now and then but Alexander was quickly turning into nothing but skin and bones. Even Angelica was getting worried for him and she asked her sister to look out for him in school.

 

It still wasn’t enough though because Alexander now kept working twice as hard. Which meant twice the coffee. Aaron tore through their supply of decaf beans within the next few days and he made sure to order about 3 more bundles just to keep Alexander from drinking himself into a stupor. In fact, Aaron would be able to breathe if he even allowed himself to sleep for a few minutes everyday.

 

From the news he got from Eliza, it was becoming more and more unlikely that Alexander even slept at all.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he has survived with the lack of sleep but one of these days Aaron was going to snap. However, today was not that day. He just witnessed Alexander try to keep his sobs from wracking his body. It was absolute  _ torture _ to see this college Senior work himself to self-deprecation. Aaron wanted nothing else but to hold him until he fell asleep peacefully.

 

He placed his 4 th order of the night on the table in front of him gently, squeezed his shoulder a little bit, and then went back to his station. What he didn’t notice was Alexander grabbed the cup, almost in desperation, and read the newest line Aaron wrote right next to his name. Aaron didn’t know it, but it was Alexander’s last source of calm in his hectic world right now.

 

**_I want to hold you close to my chest, letting my heartbeat lull you to a deep sleep :(_ **

 

Alexander had to choke back a sob.

* * *

 

Somewhere along the line, Aaron started to write bolder statements on Alexander’s coffee cups. He didn’t know when it started but when he did, he couldn’t find it in himself to stop.

 

**_If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and Z together because U need some Zzzz… :)_ **

 

**_If you asked for more sugar, I wouldn’t give it to you because you’re already so sweet <3_ **

 

**_You don’t have to worry about the coffee being hot; it’s not as hot as you <3_ **

 

**_I’ve been thinking about you a latte. :)_ **

 

**_I love the way you espresso yourself. :)_ **

 

Aaron didn’t know this but Alexander kept every cup.

* * *

 

3 weeks later, Alexander stopped coming to the coffee shop.

 

At first, Aaron was fucking delighted that he wasn’t here. It wasn’t because he didn’t  _ like  _ seeing Alexander, it was quite the opposite. He loved seeing Alexander everyday but if it were starting to interfere with his health, then Aaron would just feel worse about his job. With each passing day, he started to get worried again. There were times when Alexander didn’t come to the shop for a week but back then, he thought none of it.

 

Who knew what Alexander did outside of the coffee shop?

 

But Alexander couldn’t stay away for too long. He would sometimes come in casually but it was nearing an entire 2 weeks and Alexander still wasn’t coming. Even during other shifts, he wasn’t there. Since he worked two shifts, it was impossible for Alexander to be avoiding him. There is no  _ way  _ that he would just be hiding from him. Suddenly, Aaron started thinking about the pick-up lines he started to write on his coffee cups.

 

_ Oh, fuck. _

 

Was he being too forward? He  _ knew  _ he should have stopped the moment his lines started to become a little flirtier rather than worried. He knew he should have stopped at the ‘ _ you’re sweeter than sugar’  _ line. Who used that kind of shit on people these days? What was he, a love-struck southern belle? Maybe he scared Alexander away with his pick-up lines. Maybe Alexander didn’t  _ swing  _ that way.

 

And to think this started because he was worried that he wasn’t getting enough  _ sleep. _

 

With guilt now in his heart, Aaron decided to clock out early that day. He needed to lie down for a second because he decided to make a move on a  _ sleep-deprived college senior.  _ Has he really stooped that low? He handed his apron over to Angelica, explained that he was starting to get a headache, and made himself a cup of tea before he gathered up his things and left.

 

He didn’t even notice that the name he put on the cup wasn’t  _ his. _

 

Aaron was just about to head out the door when a certain college senior ran in with a huge smile on his face.  _ Alexander.  _ Aaron couldn’t believe his eyes. He wasn’t wearing a hoodie this time; rather he was sporting a put-together look of a button down shirt, jeans, and converse shoes. His hair was still in its usual ponytail but it was slicker and cleaner than 2 weeks ago when he last saw him. Even his eyes were brighter than normal.

 

Aaron had to admit, he would take this look over the  _ I’m-a-dying-college-senior-writing-their-thesis-on-12-cups-of-coffee  _ look  _ any day.  _ He had to wait for his legs to move of their own accord before his brain caught up with the rest of his body. His hands were gripped lightly around his cup of tea and he was trying very hard not to lose his cool. Alexander was here. Alexander looked  _ healthy. _

 

Alexander looked  _ happy. _

 

“Aaron!” The college senior’s voice rang like a church bell in his ears and the barista was delighted to hear that it was back in its normal timbre. “I got some sleep this time, have you noticed?” Alexander was bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet as his eyes shined happily in Aaron’s direction. He looked like an excited little puppy.  _ Why does he look so cute? _

 

“I noticed.” He replied simply and Alexander gave him a wider smile.

 

“It’s all thanks to you.” Aaron was both delighted and astonished at seeing a small blush color the apples of Alexander’s cheeks at his confession. All thanks to him? Alexander was the one who took it upon him to go to sleep and feed himself. It wasn’t Aaron who tucked him in bed. It wasn’t Aaron who fed him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was all Alexander’s doing. All Aaron did was give him pick-up lines on decaf coffee cups.

 

They weren’t even  _ good  _ pick-up lines.

 

“I find that hard to believe,” Aaron said as he reached over to open the door behind Alexander. The college student only moved in front of him and stopped him in his tracks. Aaron raised an eyebrow in question. Alexander’s blush spread to almost his entire face and it took all of the willpower left within him not to try and test out if his face was really heating up.

 

“No, really!” Alexander’s voice was a little squeaky this time and Aaron found it really damn cute. “The lines you would write to me on my coffee cups?” It was Aaron’s turn to blush this time and the sight gave Alexander a little bit more confidence. “They really helped me through my thesis writing. Every time I felt like breaking down, I would read the latest pick-up line and I would feel so much better.”

 

_ Oh. _

“So I want to say thank you and…” Alexander scratched the back of his neck and coughed a little bit to try and get the words out of his throat. If Aaron were standing behind him, he would have seen his blush spread all the way to the nape of his neck. That would have been a sight Aaron enjoyed. “I wanted to give you a proper response to all the pick-up lines you’ve written on my cups.” With that, Alexander pulled out a small box from his bag and handed it quickly to Aaron as if he was almost embarrassed just by touching it.

 

“I-I hope you like it.” How could Aaron have any other feeling towards this boy other than fondness? The blush that was slowly covering his entire face with pink, the way his hands fidgeted in front of his chest, and his bit lip was a sight for sore eyes. Aaron’s eyes were definitely not complaining. Now that he knew that Alexander  _ definitely  _ swung his way, he placed his tea on a nearby empty table and started opening the box.

 

In his hands was a coffee mug but it wasn’t just  _ any  _ coffee mug. It had something else written on it that his hand was covering. Alexander’s fidgeting became more prominent as Aaron removed his hand slowly to read what was written on the front of the mug.

 

**_Is it just me, or do you feel something brewing between us?_ **

 

It was the cheesiest coffee shop pick-up line of all cheesy coffee shop pick-up lines.

 

And Aaron absolutely  _ loved it. _

 

“Oh wow, this is amazing.” He whispered and Alexander’s shoulders sagged in relief.

 

“There’s something else written on the back.”

 

Aaron turned the mug around and laughed when he saw what else was written there.

 

**_I’m not throwing away my shot with you._ **

 

“You’re adorable, you know that?” Aaron said and he gave Alexander a well-deserved hug. “I’m so proud of you.” He whispered in his ear and that only made the college senior wrap his arms extremely tight around him. He placed a chaste kiss on Alexander’s temple, which may have solidified the ever-growing blush, and pulled away to the sight of the smile that  _ finally _ reached his eyes.

 

It  _ would  _ be tragic for him to lose that smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are highly appreciated!


End file.
